How VIFW Built Vietnamese Fashion's International Credibility
Vietnam International Fashion Week (VIFW), operated by Multimedia JSC under founder Lê Thị Quỳnh Trang (Trang Lê), has run 20 seasons from its December 2014 inaugural edition through to FW 2025. Over that period it has transformed from a domestic fashion event into the region's most substantive platform for Vietnamese designer talent and the key infrastructure for connecting Vietnamese fashion to the international buyer and press ecosystem.
Key Seasons in the Chronology
| Season | Date | City / Venue | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Dec 2014 | HCMC, Gem Center | Inaugural; VTV3 live broadcast; Nguyễn Công Trí as opener |
| Season 2 (SS 2016) | Apr 2016 | HCMC | CONG TRI "RICE" collection |
| Season 13 (SS 2022) | May 2022 | HCMC, Military Zone 7 | #ReFashion theme; Zimmermann and Camicissima as international guests |
| Season 14 (FW 2022) | Oct/Nov 2022 | Hanoi, Quần Ngựa | "Taste of Heritage" theme |
| Season 17 (SS 2024) | Jun 2024 | HCMC, Military Zone 7 | 10th anniversary, "Fashion Evolution" theme |
| Season 19 (SS 2025) | Jun 2025 | HCMC, Nguyễn Du Gymnasium | Julien Fournié's 10-year return to VIFW |
| Season 20 (FW 2025) | Nov 2025 | Hanoi, Quần Ngựa | 20 shows; Canifa and Pantio debut appearances |
The Institutional Architecture
VIFW's consistent value is structural: it provides Vietnamese designers with a credentialled platform, international press and buyer access, and the production infrastructure — runway staging, lighting, hair and makeup — that individual designers could not sustain independently. The biannual rhythm (spring/summer in HCMC, autumn/winter in Hanoi) mirrors the international fashion week calendar and has enabled a small number of Vietnamese designers to build international careers anchored in VIFW visibility.
Nguyễn Công Trí as the Paradigm Case
The career trajectory of Nguyễn Công Trí — from VIFW inaugural opener in 2014 to Asian Couture Federation recognition to Paris Fashion Week presentations to global celebrity dressing — is the model other Vietnamese designers benchmark against. His continued VIFW presence alongside international career development demonstrates that the two are complementary rather than in tension: VIFW remains relevant even after international recognition is achieved.
The 21st Season and What Comes Next
The 21st season (June 18–21, 2026, HCMC, Nguyễn Du Stadium) positions sustainability as its central narrative, with Tom Trandt of Moi Dien Studio as opening designer — a significant institutional statement that establishes circularity-focused fashion as a legitimate pillar of VIFW's programming, not merely a peripheral concern. This season also features DAS STUDIOS (Gen Z streetwear sensibility) and ĐINH PROJECT (zero-waste reconstructed materials) alongside veteran headliners, demonstrating VIFW's intent to programme across the full spectrum from heritage couture to contemporary avant-garde.